1996-1999 Timeline


About this list: this is a work-in-progress with the goal of assembling as complete a timeline as possible of the entire Yamato/Star Blazers phenomenon. Data will be added and revised as new information becomes available. As the entries on this list receive coverage elsewhere on this site, links will be added to help you find them. If you notice missing, incorrect, or incomplete items on this list, please contact us and make noise!

No-class 1996
No-class FEB
On Air 12 Space Battleship Yamato places 10th in a Fuji Television “best anime” special with guest Kenichi Ogata (voice actor/Analyzer)
Publication 12 Comix Climax includes excerpt from Leiji Matsumoto’s Yamato manga (Ta-ke Shobo)
On Air 22 Hiroshi Miyagawa appears on ‘NHK Studio Park’
Publication ? Star Blazers comic magazine #4 by Studio Go! (Argo Press/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
No-class MAR
Music 21 CD: Prelude to Final Yamato (Nippon Columbia)
Music 21 CD: Yamato Sound Fantasia (Nippon Columbia)
Publication ? Article in Anime FX No. 12 (Ashdown Publishing)
No-class APR
Publication ? Star Blazers comic magazine #5 by Studio Go! (Argo Press/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
No-class MAY
On Air 3 NHK TV special on Leiji Matsumoto
No-class JUN
On Air 8 NHK radio special on Isao Sasaki
On Air 15 Masato Ibu (voice actor/Dessler) appears on ‘NHK studio park’
Publication ? Star Blazers comic magazine ‘Perfect Album’ by Studio Go! (Argo Press/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
Publication ? Star Blazers comic magazine #6 by Studio Go! (Argo Press/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
No-class JUL
Event 13 Yamato exhibition at Comics Kingdom, Osaka (through Sept. 1)
On Air 16 Leiji Matsumoto appears on ‘NHK Studio Park’
Event 21 Isao Sasaki concert at Comics Kingdom, Osaka
No-class AUG
Video 25 LD & VHS: Yamato 2520 vol. 3: Combat (Bandai/Emotion)
Publication ? Star Blazers comic magazine #7 by Studio Go! (Argo Press/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
No-class SEP
Event 15-16 Yamato Party ’96 convention
No-class OCT
Publication ? Star Blazers comic magazine #8 by Studio Go! (Argo Press/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
Publication ? Star Blazers comic magazine Special Edition by Studio Go! (Argo Press/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
No-class NOV
Event 3 Yamato World 1996 convention (Japan)
No-class DEC
Publication ? Star Blazers comic magazine #9 by Studio Go! (Argo Press/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
No-class 1997
No-class JAN
Book 7 Takarajima Special: This Anime is Awesome! (Treasure Island Co.)
Book 24 The Time and Ideology of Space Battleship Yamato (Seron Jiho Co.)
No-class FEB
Music 1 CD: This is Animetal features Yamato theme (Sony Music)
Book 28 Space Battleship Yamato ‘Anatomic Table’ (San’Ichi Shobo)
Publication ? Star Blazers comic magazine #10 by Studio Go! (Argo Press/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
No-class MAR
Music 21 CD: Animetal Marathon features Yamato theme (Sony Music)
No-class APR
Music 21 CD: Happy Child! I can sing in English! features Yamato theme (Victor)
No-class MAY
Publication ? Star Blazers comic magazine #11 (final issue) by Studio Go! (Argo Press/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
No-class JUN
Music 21 CD: Isao Sasaki: Poetry of Man Vol. 2 features Yamato songs (Nippon Columbia)
No-class AUG
Event 31 Yamato Party ’97 convention
Event 16 West Cape Corporation closes its offices
event ? Star Blazers Fleet Battle System debuts at GenCon gaming convention (Musashi Enterprises/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
No-class SEP
Music 21 CD: Animetal Sentimental features Yamato theme (Sony Music)
No-class OCT
product ? Star Blazers Fleet Battle System Rule book and first 33 miniatures (Musashi Enterprises/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
No-class NOV
Event 2 Yamato World ’97 convention (Japan)
No-class DEC
Music 17 CD: Steel Suite: from space with love features heavy metal Yamato themes by Concerto Moon (Nippon Crown)
Music 21 CD: Anime Kazuta Super Medley features Yamato theme
Event 30 Leiji Matsumoto original painting exhibition in Osaka features 2-meter Yamato ‘Precision Cut Model’ model (through Jan. 7, 1998)
Music 21 CD: My Dear TV Animation Songs 1 features Yamato theme (First Music Co. Ltd.)
Model ? 1/350 scale Yamato wood kit (reissue/Imai)
No-class 1998
No-class 25th Anniversary of beginning of Space Battleship Yamato production
No-class FEB
Book 17 Introductory Studies of the History of Japanese Anime (Yahata Shoten)
No-class APR
Event 7 Leiji Matsumoto delivers a lecture “Yamato (battleship) to Yamato” (anime)
Book 11 How to Operate Super Mecha (Guache)
No-class MAY
publication 1 Comic Gon magazine publishes a Yamato cover story and an interview with Leiji Matsumoto (Million Mook Publishing)
Music 21 CD: Best of Animetal features Yamato theme (Sony Music)
Video 25 LD & VHS: Space Battleship Yamato movie reissued with 25th anniversary Toshihiro Kawamoto art (Bandai/Emotion)
Video 25 LD & VHS: Farewell to Yamato reissued with 25th anniversary Toshihiro Kawamoto art (Bandai/Emotion)
Video 25 LD & VHS: The New Voyage reissued with 25th anniversary Toshihiro Kawamoto art (Bandai/Emotion)
Video 25 LD & VHS: Be Forever Yamato reissued with 25th anniversary Toshihiro Kawamoto art (Bandai/Emotion)
Video 25 LD & VHS: Final Yamato reissued with 25th anniversary Toshihiro Kawamoto art (Bandai/Emotion)
BOOK ? Star Blazers Fleet Battle System EDF Technical Manual/Warship Recognition Guide (Musashi enterprises/Voyager Entertainment, Inc.)
No-class JUN
Video 25 LD & VHS: Yamato TV series 1 volumes 1-4 with 25th anniversary Toshihiro Kawamoto art (Bandai/Emotion)
No-class JUL
Event 19 World of Leiji Matsumoto exhibit at Kagamigahara Aerospace Science Museum (through Aug. 16)
Music 20 CD: Isao Sasaki Single Collection box set features Yamato songs (Nippon Columbia)
Video 25 LD & VHS: Yamato TV series 1 volumes 5-7 with 25th anniversary Toshihiro Kawamoto art (Bandai/Emotion)
Video ? DVD: Farewell to Yamato reissued with 25th anniversary Toshihiro Kawamoto art and special packaging (Bandai/Emotion)
No-class AUG
Event 14, 15 Grand Symphonic Poem ‘Rail of Fantasy’ live concert for the 45th anniversary of Leiji’s Matsumoto’s career, orchestra conducted by Horishi Miyagawa
Publication 14 Grand Symphonic Poem ‘Rail of Fantasy’ program book
Music 21 CD: Antitheses by Makoto Kuriya features a cover of The Scarlet Scarf (King Records)
Video 25 LD & VHS: Yamato 2 volumes 1-4 with Toshiyuki Kubooka art (Bandai/Emotion)
No-class SEP
Video 25 LD & VHS: Yamato 2 volumes 5-7 with Toshiyuki Kubooka art (Bandai/Emotion)
No-class OCT
online 7 Space Battleship Yamato ‘Webring’ goes live in Japan
Music 10 CD: Grand Symphonic Poem ‘Rail of Fantasy’ live concert features Yamato themes (Nippon Columbia)
Event 11 Leiji Matsumoto and Yoko Asagami (Yuki’s voice actress) speak at Saji Astronomical Observatory
Music 21 CD: TV Anime Super History Vol. 10 features Yamato theme (Columbia Music Entertainment)
Video 25 LD & VHS: Yamato III volumes 1-4 with Toshiyuki Kubooka art (Bandai/Emotion)
No-class NOV
Product 18 1/1300 diecast Yamato reproduction (Mimuko)
book 20 Space Battleship Yamato: the Faraway Planet Iscandar ‘Materials Collection’ Playstation 1 design book (Edition A/Bandai)
book 20 Space Battleship Yamato: the Faraway Planet Iscandar ‘Materials Collection’ Playstation 1 design book (Edition B/Bandai)
Music 21 CD: TV Anime Super History Vol. 19 features Yamato!! The New Voyage song (Columbia Music Entertainment)
Event 22 Yamato World 1998 convention (Japan)
Video 25 LD & VHS: Yamato III volumes 5-7 with Toshiyuki Kubooka art (Bandai/Emotion)
No-class DEC
On Air 6 CS Family Theatre rebroadcasts TV series 1 Sundays & Wednesdays
No-class
Music ? CD: Favorite Anime Theme Song Anthology vol. 1 and 2 feature Yamato themes (Victor)
No-class
No-class 1999
Event 25th Anniversary year of first Yamato TV series
No-class JAN
Publication 1 Animage magazine (February cover date) carries a Yamato story (Tokuma Shoten)
Event 28 Leiji Matsumoto art exhibition in Ayabe (through March 28)
On Air ? The Yamato movies are broadcast on CS Power Movie
Online ? Leiji Matsumoto launches an online manga site
No-class FEB
Game 4 Space Battleship Yamato: The Faraway Planet Iscandar (Playstation 1/Bandai)
Event 7 Yamato Party ’98 in ’99 convention
Publication 10 Animage magazine 20th anniversary cover art trading cards (Tokuma Shoten)
Product 18 Space Battleship Yamato: The Faraway Planet Iscandar Playstation 1 commemorative phone card (Bandai)
No-class MAR
Book 5 Space Battleship Yamato: The Faraway Planet Iscandar Playstation 1 Navigation Guide (Softbank)
On Air 7 Yamato 2 compilation movie broadcast on CS Power Movie
On Air 12 Yamato 2 compilation movie broadcast on CS Power Movie
Book 15 The Hot Feelings Once Again: Keisuke Fujikawa Masterpiece TV Scripts Collection (Fujin Co.)
Event 19 Space Battleship Yamato: The Faraway Planet Iscandar Playstation 1 promotion at Tokyo Game Show (through March 21)
Product 19 Space Battleship Yamato: The Faraway Planet Iscandar telephone card, t-shirt and handbag given away at Tokyo Game Show (Bandai)
Product 20 CD Rom: Space Battleship Yamato Master Edition (NEC International)
Music 20 CD: Isao Sasaki Deluxe Collection 5-disc box set includes Yamato songs (Columbia Music Entertainment)
Music 20 CD: ’99 Math Game Music Collection features Yamato theme (Columbia Music Entertainment)
On Air 21, 26 Yamato III compilation movie broadcast on CS Power Movie
book 30 Space Battleship Yamato: the Faraway Planet Iscandar Playstation 1 guide book (Keibunsha)
product ? Space Battleship Yamato keychains; set of 8 (Banpresto)
No-class APR
Publication 1 GaZo magazine #2 publishes a retrospective on Yamato filmmaking (Tokuma Shoten)
On Air 5 Wansa-kun TV series rebroadcast on BS2
Book 10 Space Battleship Yamato: The Faraway Planet Iscandar Playstation 1 Hint Book (Tokuma Shoten Intermedia Co.)
Event 19 Yamato is chosen to appear on a postage stamp commemorating 20th Century Japanese culture
Event 29 Super Robot Spirits tour ’99 concert features Isao Sasaki
On Air 29 Isao Sasaki & Hiroshi Miyagawa appear on an anime music special
Publication ? Article in Animerica Vol. 7 No. 3 (Viz Communications)
No-class MAY
Game ? Space Battleship Yamato: The Faraway Planet Iscandar Playstation 1 “Saved Data Collection” disc (Bandai)
Book 1 Space Battleship Yamato: The Faraway Planet Iscandar Playstation 1 Visual Fanbook & Strategy Guide (Locus)
Publication 1 Financial World Prospects reports on Leiji Matsumoto’s dispute for ownership of Space Battleship Yamato
Music 21 CD: Vacation of Love by Hiroshi Miyagawa features cover version of disco Yamato theme (U-Records)
On Air 23 Space Battleship Yamato TV Series 1 rebroadcast on CS Home Drama channel
Event 30 Hiroshi Miyagawa in concert
Product ? Set of 10 Space Battleship Yamato Lighters released as arcade game prizes
Product ? Yamato Watership toys; set of 2 (Banpresto)
No-class JUN
On Air 13 Leiji Matsumoto appears on NHK Symphony Orchestra Hour
Event 24 Space Battleship Yamato exhibit at Niigata (through July 25)
Publication 30 Figure King magazine #22 publishes a “World of Matsumoto” cover story (World Photo Press)
Book ? Illustrated TV Anime Complete Works (Hara Shobo)
No-class JUL
Product 3 “Museum of Leiji Matsumoto” spaceship collection debuts (Mimuko)
Book 2 The Space Battleship Yamato Legacy (Footwork)
Music 7 CD: Super Robot Spirits Tour ’99 features Isao Sasaki (First Smile Entertainment Ltd.)
EVENT 8 Bronze statues are unveiled in a festival at Tsuruga City commemorating Be Forever Yamato and Galaxy Express 999 (through July 27)
Event 10 World of Leiji Matsumoto exhibition in Chiba (through Aug. 8)
Music 17 CD: Kaishingeki TV! Utaemon Super masterpieces! features Yamato theme (Columbia Music Entertainment)
Publication 31 Yamato Chronicle trading cards (Bandai)
Model ? 1/350 scale Yamato wood kit (reissue/Imai)
Model ? 1/350 scale Andromeda (Imai)
No-class AUG
Product 8 Dessler and Captain Okita character figure costumes (Time Warp)
Event 14 World of Leiji Matsumoto exhibition in Hachioji City (through Aug. 20)
Event 16 Leiji Matsumoto lectures in Hachioji
Book 20 Space Battleship Yamato manga vol. 1 & 2 by Keisuke Fujikawa & Akira Hio (reissue/Asahi Sonorama)
Video 25 DVD: Space Battleship Yamato movie (Bandai/Emotion)
Video 25 DVD: Farewell to Yamato (Bandai/Emotion)
Video 25 DVD: The New Voyage (Bandai/Emotion)
Video 25 DVD: Be Forever Yamato (Bandai/Emotion)
Video 25 DVD: Final Yamato (Bandai/Emotion)
Product ? ‘Museum of Leiji Matsumoto’ light-up capsule toy collection; set of 2 (Mimuko)
No-class SEP
On Air 2 ‘Morning Sun’ TV program reports on Yamato revival
Event 3, 4 “Grand Symphonic Poem Fantasy Railway” concert
Event 9-15 World of Leiji Matsumoto exhibition in Umeda
Book 20 Space Battleship Yamato manga vol. 3, Farewell to Yamato vol. 1 by Akira Hio (reissue/Asahi Sonorama)
Book 25 Encyclopedia of Space Battleship Yamato: Keibunsha ‘Big Encyclopedia’ box set (Kodansha)
Product ? Yamato ballpoint pens; set of 2 (Banpresto)
Product ? DX display models; set of 2 (Banpresto)
No-class OCT
Music 7 CD: Animetal Complete First Live features Yamato theme (Sony Music)
Music 7 CD: Animetal Complete Last Live features Yamato theme (Sony Music)
On Air 6 25th anniversary rebroadcast of Space Battleship Yamato TV episode 1
Event 14 World of Leiji Matsumoto exhibition in Nagoya
Book 20 Farewell to Yamato manga vol. 2 & 3 by Akira Hio (reissue/Asahi Sonorama)
Music 21 CD: Grand Symphonic Poem Fantasy Railway live concert features Yamato themes (Nippon Columbia)
Music 21 CD: Shapeshifter album by Marcy Playground includes single Wave Motion Gun (Capitol Records)
Music 24 Beatmania GB2 for Gameboy 2 features Yamato theme (Konami)
Event 31 Isao Sasaki and Yoko Asagami (Yuki’s voice actress) appear in concert at Toys Land
No-class NOV
Book 15 Suddenly, the Final Episode: the Last Scenes of Manga Masterpieces (MF paperbacks)
Book 15 This is Manga! features reprints of Yamato ‘Picture Story’ from 1974 5th Grader magazines (MF paperbacks)
game 25 CD: Beatmania GB2 “Gatchamix” features Yamato theme (Konami)
No-class DEC
Book 24 Anime Hit Songs (Kadokawa)
Product ? Light-up Yamato keychains; set of 5 (Banpresto)
Product ? Space Battleship Yamato 25th anniversary pins collection (Unifive)
Product ? Space Battleship Yamato 25th anniversary Zippo lighter (Unifive)
Product ? Space Battleship Yamato 25th anniversary Zippo lighters; set of 4 (Yutaka)

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